Youth- Take Action!

YOUTH TAKE ACTION! START COMPOSTING! What can be composted? Building a compost bin Steps to Successful Composting Harvesting and Using Finished Compost Troubleshooting Composting Problems A Compost Experiment to try Promote Composting in your Community

Composting is an excellent way to improve the quality of soil and prevent erosion. By composting, you can return organic matter to the soil. This improves the structure of the soil. Organic matter is the glue that binds soil particles together and helps prevent erosion. Adding compost to sandy soil increases its water and nutrient-holding capacity. Adding compost to clay soil helps break up heavy clay particles. Compost also contains valuable plant nutrients. Improving your soil improves the health of your plants. Healthy plants protect the soil from erosion.

You can start composting at home or in school. Read these guidelines first, and then talk to your parents or teacher about what you are planning to do. They may have some suggestions on where to place your compost pile, and what compost materials you can use.

What can be composted?

Any plant material can be composted. Fallen leaves, grass, weeds, kitchen scraps, saw dust, wood chips, animal manure and newspaper can all be composted. Do not use meat, bones, and fatty foods.

Bacteria decompose this organic matter. They break down plant tissue into nutrients that are available to plants. All living things have a ratio of carbon (C) to nitrogen (N) in its tissues. Sawdust has 500 parts of carbon for every 1 part of nitrogen. Kitchen scraps have 15 parts of carbon for every 1 part of nitrogen. A Carbon:Nitrogen ratio of 30:1 is ideal for the activity of bacteria in a compost pile. This balance can be achieved in a compost pile by mixing greens (materials high in nitrogen) with browns (materials high in carbon).

Building a Compost Bin

Here's how to make a bin to hold the compost materials. A compost bin made of wire fencing does not cost much, and is easy to build.

Materials you need

• 11 or 12 feet of welded wire fencing 3 feet high with 1" x 2" mesh or smaller
• short lengths of wire or twist-ties to tie the cylinder closed

Steps

1. Snip the ends off the fencing close to a crosswire and then file down the edges or cover with duct tape (this avoids getting scratched by sharp ends)
2. Lap the ends of the fencing over each other to get a cylinder about 3 feet in diameter:
   
3. When you wish to turn the material or harvest finished compost, undo the ties and unwrap the fencing.
4. If you can't get wire fencing, use whatever materials are available! Try building a bin out of old wooden pallets or other recycled wood and wire.

Steps to Successful Composting

1. Keep a pail or other container in your kitchen for collecting food scraps. Line your compost container with newspaper. This makes emptying and cleaning the container much easier.
2. Do not cover the container. If you do, the materials ferment, and stink!
3. Put in any vegetable or fruit scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags, egg shells (crush them a bit), and leftovers that cannot be eaten. Do not put in meat, fat, dairy products (such as cheese), bones, or raw eggs.
4. Cut up the leftovers and food scraps into smaller pieces. This makes them rot faster.
5. Cover food scraps with torn newspapers or scrap paper to prevent odours and fruit flies.
6. When your compost container is full, take it outside to the compost bin and empty it. Clean out the container, reline it with newspaper, and return it to its place in the kitchen.

At the Compost Bin

1. Set up your compost bin in a shady, well-drained, level place that is convenient.
2. Put a layer of twigs and branches in the bottom of the bin. These will not be squashed by the layers above, and so they will help air to reach the centre of your compost pile.
3. A good way to build your compost pile is to layer green and brown materials. The green layers (food scraps, grass clippings, manure, etc.) are rich in nitrogen. This is vital food for decomposers. The brown layers (materials such as straw, leaves, and paper) supply another critical food source for decomposers. The brown layers also help balance the moisture in the pile, since they are usually drier than green layers. They are also coarser, so they create air pockets that allow air into the pile, and that allow excess water to drain from the pile. These spaces also allow excess water to escape. Also, the brown layers serve as a barrier to pests.
4. Make layers of compost materials. Start with a brown layer, then a green layer, then a brown layer and so on. Always end with a brown layer so that no food ever shows. Brown layers should be two to three times as thick as green layers. Green layers should be no more than 1 or 2 inches thick. Brown layers should be shaped lick saucers - lower in the centre, and higher around the edges - so that the next green layer can be kept to the inside of the pile.
   
5. When you layer green and brown compost materials, you do not need to turn the compost. But if you wish to get finished compost sooner, then you should turn the pile.

Harvesting and Using Finished Compost

The length of time it takes for compost to be ready depends on many factors, such as weather conditions, the size of your bin, the type of materials included, and the amount of turning. The materials on the bottom layers will tend to finish first, since they started first. If there is unfinished compost on top of the bin, transfer it to a new bin. The finished compost may then be harvested and put to use.

The compost will be ready when it:

• has shrunk to about one-third of its original size;
• is dark brown in colour;
• has a crumbly consistency;
• has a nice, earthy odour.

Compost is a valuable soil amendment for use in your garden or fields or around trees, black gold for your plants!

Troubleshooting Composting Problems

Sometimes when you make compost, things go wrong. Here are some signs to look out for, what the problems might be, and how to solve them:

Symptoms	Problem	Solution
The compost has a bad odour, like rotten eggs.	Not enough air	Turn it
The compost has a bad odour like ammonia.	Too much nitrogen	Add materials high in carbon
The centre of the pile is dry.	Not enough water	Water it while turning
The compost is damp and warm in the middle, but nowhere else.	Too small	Add more materials and mix
The compost pile is damp, and sweet-smelling, but does not heat up.	Lack of nitrogen	Mix in a material rich in nitrogen, such as manure, grass clippings or kitchen scraps.

A Compost Experiment to try

Promote Composting in your Community

• Make your own compost pile, and become an expert composter. Grow plants using your compost fertilizer. See how well they grow! Then show friends and neighbours what you have done. Talk about the benefits of composting, and persuade them to try it for themselves. As an expert composter, you can help solve any compost problems that might arise!

Make a poster to show what you need to make compost, and how it helps the soil and plants. Put the poster in a public place, such as a meeting place or library. A clear, a bright poster may be all it takes to convince others to try composting. Write an article for the local paper. Explain what happens if soil does not have enough organic matter. Then, describe how compost can help. Invite a compost expert to the school to encourage students to start composting. If you have tried to make compost, that composting expert might be you! Read about what is happening in Patna, India (News from around the world). Is this something that can be tried in your community? If so, you and your friends can organize a composting campaign!

Ask your local radio station if they can do a programme on ways to improve soil. They may be interesting in inviting compost experts, such as yourself, to speak about the topic.

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